Robyn Lyn Edwards faces Coffs Harbour court after being caught driving disqualified while on meth

A disqualified Coffs Harbour mother went for a drive after using the drug ice to “switch her mind off”, a court heard. Here’s how a magistrate dealt with the case.

Robyn Lyn Edwards 43, outside Coffs Harbour Local Court.

A Coffs Harbour mum-of-seven has dodged jail-time after being caught driving while disqualified four times and hopping behind the wheel with the drug ice in her system.

Robyn Lyn Edwards, 43, faced Coffs Harbour Local Court on January 18, pleading guilty to drive vehicle with an illicit drug present in her blood and four counts of driving a motor vehicle during a disqualification period.

Edwards was pulled over for a breath test on October 15 last year, was drug tested and tested positive to methamphetamines, having done the same on several occasions prior, the court heard.

The court heard Edwards went for a drive after using ice to “switch her mind off”.

Defence lawyer Lachlan Jackson-Porter said Edward wanted to go for a drive to “switch her mind off”.

“She has difficulty sleeping due to trauma so uses meth to stay awake,” he said.

The court heard mental health issues were linked to Edwards’ drug use.

Edwards’ offending showed “no care factor for her safety or the communities” and she was serving two conditional release orders at the time she was pulled over, police stated.

Edwards was homeless and lived with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the court heard

Edwards, supported in court by her mother, had applied for properties but struggled to find a home due to a housing crisis in Coffs Harbour, the court heard.

Mr Jackson-Porter said there was no “sophisticated planning” behind his client’s offending and police weren’t alerted to the offending by Edwards’ manner of driving.

“It was a spur of the moment decision to hop behind the (wheel of a) vehicle – fortunately no one got injured,” he said.

Mr Jackson-Porter described Edwards’ situation as a “sad state of affairs”.

Edwards was caught driving with the drug ice in her system. File image.

He said Edwards was remorseful and he believed she would be far less likely to use drugs if she managed to find a home.

Edwards record included a 10 year gap in offending and she could potentially rehabilitate, the court heard.

Magistrate Theresa Hamilton said Edwards coping mechanisms could have put lives at risk.

She said she would have had to “seriously consider” prison, but was taking Edwards history of mental health issues into account.

Ms Hamilton warned Edwards jail-time was likely if she reoffended.

Edwards was ordered to serve a 12 month community corrections order.

She was also disqualified from driving for eight months and fined $250.